


Finding Home

by Jcapasso916



Series: Knocking on Heaven's door [2]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-25
Updated: 2016-03-25
Packaged: 2018-05-28 23:01:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 14,362
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6349051
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jcapasso916/pseuds/Jcapasso916
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sequel to Knocking on Heaven's Door, Dean and Sam adjust to having Cas and Gabriel as daily presences in their lives and the new emotions that this arrangement kicks up.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is the sequel to my first Supernatural story I ever wrote, also brought over from fanfiction.net and written directly after the first so again, don't judge me too harshly lol.

“That was very loud Gabriel,” Cas told him.

“Well yeah. It has to be loud if it’s going to wake them up Cassie.”

“Why would we wish to wake them up?”

“You heard Deano. In case we need anything”

“You anticipate needing something that you cannot get yourself?”

“Of course not!” Gabriel replied scanadalized.

“I believe I am confused.”

“You’ve seen how they hover. It makes them feel better to know that we can wake them up if we need them. We know we won’t need them. I’m sure they know we won’t need them, but they need the reassurance anyway.”

“I see.”

Gabriel let out a laugh that turned to a whimper and then a groan. “Are you alright?” Cas asked him.

Gabriel thought to make a joke about the world ending because it hurt to laugh, but realized that Cassie would take it seriously, so just said, “Of course! Like anything can keep me down? Please,” with a little eye roll at the end. 

Cas was quiet for a moment until, “Gabriel?” 

“Hmm?”

“Thank you.”

Gabriel smiled softly and said, “Go to sleep Cassie” Then closed his eyes and proceeded to do the same. 

 

The next morning both angels were moving around much better with very little help. They needed a little assistance getting up and down, but otherwise they were much better. Once they rose that morning Gabriel snapped his fingers and returned Dean’s bed to its original state and after looking at the clock and realizing that it was a perfectly reasonable time to get out of bed snapped his fingers putting breakfast and the table and rang the dinner bell, which sounded a great deal like an air horn. No use in wasting it after all and its original purpose was to wake them so Gabriel felt perfectly justified in his use of it. 

Dean again woke with his gun in his hand but put no new holes in the walls this time. Could it be he was getting used to waking up via air horn? He sure hoped not. He and Sam ran out of their respective rooms at the same time and ran to Dean’s room to find it not only empty but restored to its original state indicating that the angels were finished with their convalescence which could only mean that the wakeup call, was for no other purpose than to wake them up. Dean stomped through the living room towards the kitchen yelling, “Gabriel I swear to god I’m going to shove that air horn so far up your ass…” Dean, as usual, forgot his anger at seeing the breakfast spread, especially since Gabriel, quite deliberately was standing on the other side of the food from the entrance. Dean couldn’t decide whether waking up via air horn was worth it with getting a breakfast like this and so decided to call it a wash at least until he decided. 

Sam too deflated at the sight of his oatmeal and fruit breakfast, and like Dean couldn’t decide if the breakfast was worth waking up to the air horn. 

Gabriel of course was well versed with walking the line. It didn’t really matter what he did so long as he was able to distract them from their anger long enough for them to forget about it, and of course if it didn’t have lasting effects that would keep reminding them of it. After they finished breakfast and were leaving the kitchen, Sam who had seen the mischief shining in Gabriel’s eyes leaned close and whispered, “Just don’t touch the car and make sure no one is hurt,” in a pleading voice, hoping that Gabriel knew those rules were permanent. Gabriel turned partway towards him and winked. Sam just sighed and wondered if he should hide the holy oil from Dean. 

Gabriel disappeared just after that. He needed some time to think, now that the crisis was averted and everyone was back to health more or less. He really needed to figure out what the hell was going on with Sam. What was it about that little human’s soul that attracted his grace like that? So much so that he was catering to his feelings even. Maybe he used some kind of spell. Was there even a spell to bind an angel to a human? If anyone could find a way it would be a Winchester. That means Cassie might be bound too. He had to fix this. 

Gabriel fluttered back into the bunker to find Sam in the library reading over the manuscripts that he spent his time translating and anger washed over him. He stood next to Sam and crossed his arms. “I don’t know what you and your brother think you’re playing at, but I finally figured it out and you better break the spell immediately.”

Sam looked up at Gabriel confused, “If this is supposed to be a joke I don’t get it.”

“This is no joke Winchester. You think it’s funny to bind angels to you against their will? I won’t let you get away with it.”

“Huh?”

“Quit playing dumb. If I hadn’t been so distracted recently I would have figured it out before. The way I feel like I have to protect you no matter what, the way your soul attracts my grace, the way I feel like I need to be in your presence all the time, the way I feel so comforted when you touch me, the chills I got when you whispered in my ear…there’s only one thing that could be and I will not be bound to you against my will and if I found out that your brother has done the same thing to Cassie I’ll make him regret it too.”

Sam just sat there blinking at him for a moment, trying to decide if this really was a joke or not, but there was no laughter in the archangel’s eyes. “You can’t possibly think…We would never…” When he saw that Gabriel was still glaring and wasn’t softening at all, he said, “Look, you can see in my mind and tell if I’m lying to you right? Well go ahead and look.” 

“If you have me bound there is no way to even know if that would be accurate.”

“Ok so your premise is that I have you bound and Dean has Cas bound correct?” At Gabriel’s nod he continued. “So call Cas in here and let him see, and you can ask Dean.” 

Gabriel called for Cas to come to the library, so he appeared next to Gabriel and looked from Gabriel’s anger to Sam’s confusion and wondered what he was getting pulled in the middle of. He was wishing now that he had brought Dean with him. But of course Dean came right through the door anyway to see if anyone knew where Cas had flown off to. 

“Um what’s going on?” he asked seeing the standoff. 

No one replied to him, Gabriel just pointed to Cas while looking at Sam and said, “Tell him.”

Sam looked Cas in the eye and said, “I have never cast, nor do I know of any spell to bind an angel to a human either with or without their consent.”

Gabriel asked Cas, “Is he telling the truth?”

“Of course he is. What…” Gabriel waved a hand cutting Cas off and walked over to Dean, who couldn’t help but gulp. Neither of the humans had ever seen an archangel’s fury before, and Cas already knew better than to challenge him like this.

“Now you tell me.” 

“I…um…what am I supposed to be saying?” He looked to Sam for help who repeated what he said, “Ok. I have never cast, nor do I know of any spell to bind an angel to a human either with or without their consent.” 

Gabriel narrowed his eyes fury fading to confusion, “You’re telling the truth…” Gabriel said before he fluttered off again. 

Dean turned to Sam, who, now that the confrontation was over, was trying not to laugh. “What the hell was all that Sammy?” 

“Well…apparently Gabriel is getting attached and thinks a spell is the most likely reason, but of course if he is bound to me he may not be able to tell if I’m lying so Cas had to check and If we bound him then maybe we bound Cas too so he had to check if you were lying,” Sam couldn’t take it anymore and collapsed in hysterical laughter. 

Dean snorted, and tried to speak a few times, before he began to laugh as well. 

“Do you not find it insulting that he thought that of you?” Cas asked confused. He would have thought that they would be angry at being accused of something like that.

Once Dean had slight control of his laughter he tried to explain, “Well yeah. I’m insulted, but if you think about it...he finds it easier to believe that we put him under a spell than that he genuinely likes us. That’s hilarious.”

Cas decided to give up on understanding, since of course, he would have guessed that they would that insulting as well so he just picked up a manuscript to glance over while they were gaining control of themselves. Once they stopped laughing Cas turned to them and asked, “Who translated this?” in astonishment.

“Umm. Gabriel did. Is it not right?” Sam asked concerned that he had been studying incorrect material.

“Ah that makes sense. No. It’s flawless, I just did not remember seeing any good translations in here before and I know neither of you speak Enochian that well, though I do still have trouble believing that Gabriel actually sat still and stayed focused long enough to translate all these.” 

“Yeah. It blew our minds too Cas, but it was a very strange and stressful few days.”

“Where is the one about the procedure that he performed? I would like to know more about it.” Cas asked curiously. Sam flipped around through a few before he found the partially finished one and tossed it to Cas. Cas began reading that transcript and his eyebrows went higher and higher. Sam looked up from the transcript he was reading as asked Cas, “What is it?” “Do you know if Gabriel finished reading this?” “I don’t think so. He dropped it pretty quickly once he reached the relevant portion.” “And you said that you anchored him during the procedure?” “Yeah…why?” Sam asked getting worried that something was wrong. “I need to speak to Gabriel,” Cas said as he disappeared from the library.


	2. Chapter 2

Cas appeared next to Gabriel in what was obviously his own dimension where everything was made of candy. If Cas had seen the movie he would have recognized that it was inspired by Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Gabriel was sucking on a candy cane looking pensive. “What do you want Cassie?” Gabriel asked without turning around. 

“Did you finish reading the information about the procedure?”

“Of course not. I read what I needed to. There was no need to continue,” Gabriel looked at his brother like the idea of doing more research than strictly necessary was a sin.

Castiel still needed to confirm his suspicions so he had one more question to ask. “And when Sam grounded you could you really feel it or were you just pretending to give him comfort?”

Gabriel looked confused as to why such a question would matter. “I felt it alright. I would have been lost without it. Why do you ask?”

“Because I did finish reading the transcript about the procedure and that shouldn’t have worked. Not between an angel and a human.”

“Well obviously it did work so the information must have been wrong.”

“I am no fool Gabriel. I could tell where that information came from. Do you really think a book from Father’s private collection would have misinformation?”

“Well I don’t know what to tell you Cassie. It worked. You’re better. I’m better. Why look a gift horse in the mouth?”

Castiel narrowed his eyes at his older brother. “There is something you are not telling me. Something that may tell us why it worked.”

Gabriel began to get frustrated. “Why does it matter? It worked. That’s all you need to know.”

Castiel decided to try a different approach. He really didn’t want to upset his brother, especially after everything that he had done for him. “I was just considering the possibility that it may have something to do with the reason you suspected you were bound to him.”

“You think that I unintentionally bound myself to him during the procedure? No, this feeling started before that.” Gabriel thought back to try and figure out when it first started and then he had it. During the whole mystery spot fiasco, when Sam confronted him at the end and he took it all back and fixed everything. That was not like him at all, but when faced with Sam’s tears and the way he was baring his soul to someone he considered an enemy, begging for help, he couldn’t not fix it. He thought forward to his other encounters with them. After TV land, when he spilled his guts, it may have been Dean asking the questions, but it was Sam who he felt compelled to answer. When he tried to leave the hotel when Lucifer showed up, he told himself he was going back for Kali, but really the thought of Sam in danger is what terrified him and made him go back, to serve as a distraction for them to escape. 

“Or perhaps, you are somehow bound to him, and that is what enabled him to help you with it.” Cas countered.

“But you said that he was telling the truth about not binding me?” Gabriel began to wonder if his brother was keeping something from him after all. 

“He was telling the truth. I am certain of it. But that does not mean that you are not bound by some other power.”

Gabriel found himself lost in thought again. “I need time to consider this possibility.” Castiel just flew away. No other words were necessary. 

Castiel appeared back in the library to find both Sam and Dean leaning over the transcript he had been reading, but since Gabriel had stopped translating once he began reading that section they were having difficulty figuring out what it might say. Castiel tilted his head to the side as if that action could reveal the reasons behind their determination to read something that they could not understand. Dean was the first to notice the angel’s return. “Cas, man, what the hell? You can’t just start dropping hints that something was wrong and then disappear like that. What’s going on?”

“I apologize for worrying you. That was not my intention. I simply needed some clarification of certain facts.”

“Like what?” Sam prompted for more.

“I was simply confused as to how the grounding would work between a human and an archangel. There is nothing that would cause any problems since obviously it did work. It is simply a curiosity.” He didn’t want to worry them any more so was very adamant that everything was ok. 

Dean still looked at him suspiciously. “You’re sure that’s all?”

“I am sure.”

Dean shrugged, “Well I guess I’ll get back to my show then. Have fun nerds.” He chuckled as he left his brother and the angel in the library. 

Sam wasted no time in turning to Cas and asking him if he would finish translating the one that Gabriel stopped with. “I don’t know if that’s a good idea just yet.” Cas said though he couldn’t put his finger on why it may not be a good idea. 

Sam, of course, would not let it go at that. In fact, that made him even more curious as to what it might say. “C’mon Cas. It’s over and done with. What harm can reading about it do?”

Cas, left with nothing else to say replied, “I do not think that Gabriel would like you to know just how dangerous the procedure was for him, and there are still unanswered questions about how you were able to help him and I am sure he would like to answer those before everyone knows everything.”

Sam narrowed his eyes at Cas, who correctly understood that the gesture was as close to an order as Sam would give his angelic friend and so sighed and began translating. He could always defend himself by saying that Gabriel never actually asked him not to. Sam was obviously waiting impatiently for the translations so Castiel was handing over the pages as they were finished. Around the time the first section was completed, Sam was seething in anger, and unfortunately for Gabriel he chose that moment to return. 

Sam wasted no time in laying into the archangel. “Gabriel, what the hell? You didn’t tell us that no angel has ever survived this procedure before! That any who attempted it died a horrible death! And you certainly didn’t tell us that it could weaken you forever! What the hell did you think you were doing?”

Dean who had been drawn by all the shouting just stood in the doorway with his jaw hanging in shock. The archangel had definitely understated the dangers to himself. 

“Whoa now. Settle down Samsquatch before you bust a blood vessel. First of all I am no ordinary angel. I am an archangel.”

“Which, if I’m reading correctly, just makes it even more dangerous” Sam interrupted.

Gabriel looked down and shuffled his feet, “Oh so you figured that part out then. Well it doesn’t matter. What I said then still counts. It was my decision, the only person you two had any right to make decisions for was Cassie and only because he couldn’t make them for himself at that moment.”

“But it was practically suicide!” Sam yelled. 

“Why do you care so much? I mean I get that you at least care a little about me Sammy, but Deano sure doesn’t, and you both love Cassie. Would it really have been that bad of a trade for you?” Sam responded to that the only way he could; with a right hook to the archangel’s jaw and then he stormed out of the library. They heard a distant door slam and assumed that Sam went to his room to cool down. 

Dean just shook his head at Gabriel. “You really are an idiot if you think for one second that Sammy would have accepted that trade, or even that I would.” Dean left to go get some ice for his brother’s hand. Dean knew just how effective punching an angel could be.


	3. Chapter 3

Dean went into his brother’s room with a pile of ice wrapped in a cloth and handed it over. He chuckled a bit at the look of gratitude on Sam’s face. “I thought I warned you about punching angels”

“Yeah. Well. Sometimes they deserve it.” Sam scowled at the wall. 

“I hear ya Sammy. I do. Trading one life for another is never ok, but it seems like more to you. What’s going on?”

“I don’t know Dean. I really don’t. Just the idea of Gabriel doing something like that makes me crazy. And to hear him talk about it so matter-of-factly, it just…I can’t explain it.”

Dean scrutinized his brother for a moment and started really thinking back on what he had observed between the two. Despite popular belief, Dean did have feelings, and was pretty observant about them too, especially with Sammy who he knew better than the back of his hand. When he realized what was going on he gave a long suffering sigh. “Well better a douche archangel, than demon bitch Ruby. At least your taste is getting marginally better,” and he left before Sam could think of a retort, not that he could have retorted with all his sputtering anyway.

What Sam was trying to say to Dean is that he was being ridiculous. That he was not falling for Gabriel and the whole idea is absurd. That wouldn’t come out though, and by the time he was capable of forming actual words again Dean was gone and Sam was left with only his thoughts for company. He found himself in a conundrum. Should he stay here where the thoughts that Dean had conjured would continue to haunt him or should he go back to the library to get his mind off of it. The only problem with the latter is that it was highly likely that the angels were still there, and between his outburst and Dean’s fantasies that would make for a very uncomfortable place. Unfortunately, all his other activities like working out and target practice left far too much time for uncomfortable thoughts. In the end he decided to just read the book he had in his room, no matter that he had read it 4 times already. And it seemed that it would stay at 4 times because no matter how hard he tried, his mind kept wandering to Gabriel, wondering if maybe Dean was right. He ended up dozing off hours later still on page 10 in the book. 

When he woke the next morning it was to a timid knock on his door rather than the airhorn of late. When he said to come in the door was opened by a timid Gabriel with a crystal bowl filled with an elaborate fruit salad of only strawberries, mango, and peaches, in other words all Sam’s favorites. With another bowl of oatmeal next to it topped with strawberries. “Peace offering?” Gabriel said hopefully. At Sam’s smile and nod, Gabriel’s face lit up with a grin and he practically hopped over to the bed and handed Sam the tray along with a set of earplugs. When Sam looked at the earplugs confused Gabriel just held up the air horn in answer. 

Sam laughed and said, “I really hope you have breakfast on the table or Dean might not get distracted from shoving it up your ass this time.”

“What kind of fool do you take me for Samsquatch. I know the food is the only thing that keeps me from being deep fried,” Gabriel said with a wink and waited for Sam to get the earplugs in place before he blew the airhorn. 

Once again Dean refrained from putting more holes in the walls, and he also refrained from bellowing and went straight to the kitchen. So help him if there wasn’t food on the table though…that thought trailed off as he saw one of their new trademark perfect breakfasts, and he got a smug smile and sat down. “Maybe he’s halfway trainable” he muttered as he sat down to dig in. 

Sam, still laughing at Gabriel’s antics, dug into his breakfast as Gabriel sat indian style at the bottom corner of Sam’s mattress making small talk while Sam finished eating at which point Gabriel snapped his fingers and got rid of the dishes. At that point, the fact that Gabriel was sitting on his bed with him jumped to the front of Sam’s mind along with the thoughts of the previous night. Before things could get too uncomfortable though, Gabriel jumped up, “So whatcha wanna do today?”

“I was thinking of reading over some more of those transcripts actually. Especially the rest of the one Cas was finishing up.”

“Oh come on. You’ve been cooped up in the library for days. I wanna do something fun.”

“Then go do something fun. We aren’t stopping you,” Sam said confused.

Gabriel gave the taller man his best puppy dog eyes, “but I wanna do something fun with you.”

“Like what?” Sam asked narrowing his eyes in suspicion. 

“I’m open to suggestions”

Sam, guessing reading wasn’t a valid suggestion tried to think of things that Gabriel might enjoy that he wouldn’t find too objectionable and thought of a really good one. “We could go to a fair?” 

“Oooh that’s a good idea. I haven’t been to a fair in a few decades and I would imagine they have gotten better. Come on. Let’s go.” Gabriel began bouncing like a puppy on a sugar high again and Sam sighed. Give me 30 minutes to get ready and we can go. Gabriel raised his hand like he was going to snap his fingers, but at Sam’s glare he too sighed and capitulated. At least he had put off having Sam read the rest of that transcript for the time being. He wasn’t ready for Sam to put together what he was just beginning to suspect about the bond between them. 

While Sam was getting ready Gabriel bounced his way into the kitchen where Dean was just finishing his breakfast. “We’re going to the fair today” He announced. 

“Who’s we,” Dean asked, hoping that it wouldn’t be him. It wasn’t that he had anything against fairs, but he imagined that going to a fair with Gabriel in tow would be something like trying to chase a tornado. 

“Me and Sammy” Gabriel announced as he went over to the computer. 

“I don’t think Sam would want you on his computer.” Dean said warily.

“Oh pish. It’ll be fine. Gotta look up the best fair to go to after all.”

Dean was very glad he wasn’t going to get stuck with Gabriel in full hyper mode in that kind of madhouse and so let it go before he said something that convinced the archangel that Dean needed to have more fun too. In fact, a strategic retreat was probably the best course of action Dean decided as he broke for his room, just until they left. 

He heard Sam’s yell that he was leaving and felt safe to leave his room. He spent a relaxing day between watching TV, flipping through magazines, and using the bunker’s makeshift shooting range, and was thus in a perfect mood to show his utter amusement by laughing his ass off when his brother and the archangel appeared, with both their faces painted, and both arms full of stuffed animals, and Sam with a frazzled exhausted look on his face in opposite of Gabriel’s excited happy look. 

Sam just shot his laughing brother a glare and walked out without a word and went straight to his bedroom and collapsed in the bed, stuffed animals, clothes and all and refused to move until morning. 

Dean, still laughing, croaked out a quick goodnight to Gabriel and made for his room before he had to take his turn with hyper Gabriel. Gabriel, of course, decided to go find someone else to annoy for the night and hunted down his favorite little brother. It was rather nice to have another angel around who doesn’t need to do such tedious things as sleeping.


	4. Chapter 4

After what was becoming their usual wake-up call and breakfast the next morning, Dean decided that he and Sam needed to find a job. He was starting to feel a little cooped up and a lot bored. Luckily it only took Sam about 10 minutes to find a job a few states over. At first glance it seemed like a nest of vamps, but these things had a way of throwing curveballs at them so they went prepared for anything as usual, leaving their angelic roommates behind.

Once they were on the road Dean turned to Sam and asked with a smirk, “So how was your date yesterday?”

“One, it wasn’t a date jerk, and two, it was exhausting. I know now what parents of triplet toddlers feel like at a fair.”

“Whatever you say bitch, so that bad huh?”

“I didn’t say it was bad. It was a lot of fun, just exhausting fun.”

“Mhmm” Dean said knowing. 

Sam figured out how to get Dean to leave him alone about it. “Well when are you taking Cas out then?”

Dean spluttered for a moment before he got out a halfway understandable “huh?”

“Oh come on. You and Cas have been in love with each other for years. You two might be the only ones who don’t know it. If you get to meddle in my love life, then I get to meddle in yours,” Sam said crossing his arms with a smirk. 

Dean copied one of Sam’s famous bitchfaces and turned up the radio pretending the conversation never happened. 

After the boys left Gabriel found Castiel puttering around in the library. “Can I ask you something little bro?”

“Of course you may.”

“What does it feel like to be in love with a human?”

Castiel tilted his head at his brother in confusion. “What makes you think I would know?”

“Because I’m not blind Cassie. I see the way you and Dean look at each other,” Gabriel rolled his eyes wondering if the younger angel was just playing dumb or if he really didn’t realize. 

“Dean is family,” Castiel said firmly. 

“Are you trying to convince me or yourself?” Gabriel smirked. Upon seeing that Cas still looked confused he realized that Cas wasn’t just playing dumb. “So you feel the same way for Deano that you do for me? Or for Sam?”

“Well Dean and I do share a profound bond,” Castiel said as if that explained everything. 

“Exactly,” Gabriel said smugly. “What does it feel like?”

“Well I always have some awareness of him and how he is. My grace is attracted to his soul. I always feel more comfortable when he is nearby. Is that what you mean?”

Gabriel fell into a chair, put his head in his hands and sighed. He had already realized that he had fallen for the younger Winchester, but now he had confirmation. This would certainly complicate things. He had begun to feel at home here for the first time in centuries, but that would be over now. It wouldn’t be the first time he had lost a home. He would survive. 

“Gabriel?” Cas sounded concerned. 

“I think I’m in love with Sam freaking Winchester. How could this happen?”

Cas decided to ignore Gabriel’s supposition that he was in love with Dean. It was easier than considering the possibility and right now he had a distraught brother to focus on, not that he had any clue how to help. He had at least had enough experience with humans by now to recognize a rhetorical question when he heard one. “Why does that distress you?” After all, he had to understand the problem before he could help. 

“Because he’s just so human and fragile. And his conscience is so limiting.”

“Maybe that is not such a bad thing Gabriel,” Cas said warily. Telling his brother that he tends to go too far never works out very well. 

Gabriel sighed, the closest he would come to admitting that Cas may have a point. Then he stood up and began pacing. “Well if I’m going to win his heart then I will need,” he paused before saying dramatically, “a plan!”

Sam and Dean arrived in Spokane just after dawn. There was no point in looking for vamps during the day, so they went and checked out the crime scenes and the bodies to confirm that they were vamp kills and did some research on abandoned buildings in the area that would make a good spot for a nest. They didn’t notice the guy watching them as soon as they entered town, and they certainly didn’t know that said guy was a vampire. 

Once they had a likely location for the nest they went to stake it out. They arrived just before dark in time to see the vampires waking up and moving around. They counted 6 in the nest. After dark set in four of them left so Sam and Dean decided to take out the two left inside before going after the other four. When they entered the house however the door to the basement opened and 8 more vampires flooded out. It was an ambush. 

About that time, the door opened again and the four vampires they had seen leave came back. It was now 14 on 2 and those weren’t good odds, but what could they do but fight. They took out two of the bloodsuckers before Dean was knocked unconscious and Sam was pinned against the wall. Sam did the only thing he could think of and cried out in his mind, “Gabe help!” 

No sooner than he finished the thought did the two vamps holding him against the wall cry out and light up, followed quickly by the one about to drain his brother. The other vampires tried to run, but Gabriel had other plans. He snapped his fingers and sealed the doors and windows. “Uh uh. No running for you. You set this trap, now you get to die in it. How’s that for just desserts?” He looked over his shoulder at Sam, “Close your eyes Sammy” He said just as he lit up with a light so bright it would have burnt the vampire’s eyes out if they hadn’t been killed in the blast wave. 

Gabriel then ran over to Sam and began to run his hands up and down the Hunter looking for injuries, and healing the few minor ones he had. “I’m fine Gabe. Check on Dean please.”

Gabriel nodded and kneeled next to the older hunter. He healed his concussion and broken ribs in a thrice and sat back just as Dean woke up. “What the fuck just happened?”

“We got led into an ambush. That’s what happened.” Sam said annoyed. 

He looked to Gabriel. “I take it you saved our asses?” Gabriel nodded. “Thanks.”

Gabriel beamed. “Anytime Deano. Though it really would be easier on me if you knuckleheads didn’t need saving so often.”

Sam chuckled. “We’ll work on that.”

“You do that. In the meantime, anything else here we need to kill while we’re at it?”

“No that was all of them.” Dean looked disappointed that he didn’t have anything else to take his frustrations out on. Needing saving was bad enough, but that it was by the douche archangel again just poured salt in the wound. 

“So you boys driving back or taking Angel Air?” Gabriel asked looking inordinately pleased with himself. 

Dean quickly put distance between himself and Gabriel. “Driving. Definitely.”

Sam just shrugged and laughed at Dean’s reaction. Even after all these years he hated flying with angels. 

“Suit yourselves buckos. I guess I’ll catch you later then.” Gabriel said as he disappeared.


	5. Chapter 5

The next day Sam finally got around to reading the rest of the transcript about the procedure Gabriel performed on Cas, and saw what Cas was getting at. It should not have worked between an angel and a human and he couldn’t figure out why it would work. Others would have called him blind for overlooking the obvious, but Sam was firmly in denial. Over the next few weeks, Gabriel spent breakfast and a couple hours after at the bunker, but was conspicuously absent the rest of the time. Whenever anyone tried to question him on where he was and what he was doing he would just wink and clam up. 

One day while Sam was in the library Cas suddenly lifted his head, said that he would be back later and disappeared. Cas reappeared next to Gabriel. “What is it?”

“I need you to do me a favor little bro,” Gabriel said with a cheeky grin. 

“I don’t know if that’s a very good idea,” Cas said warily. He had learned the hard way never to agree to anything Gabriel suggested. 

“No worries. It’s nothing bad. I just need you to get the guys out of the bunker for a few hours. I have a surprise to set up.” Castiel gave his brother a warning look so Gabriel added, “It’s not a prank or anything. It’s a good thing. I promise,” He said holding his hands up in a gesture of surrender. 

“If you’re lying to me Gabriel…” Gabriel took his hand and traced a cross over his heart, and after explaining the reference to Cas, he finally agreed to help. 

 

Cas appeared back in the bunker. “I need you two to come with me.” 

“Why Cas? What’s up?” Dean asked.

“I can’t explain right now. I just need you to come with me.” 

Dean looked to Sam in confusion and Sam just shrugged so Dean turned to Cas and said “Sure buddy. Can we drive at least?”

Cas seemed to think for a moment. Driving would prolong the time that they were gone for and he would have less time to have to kill while there. “Yes we can drive.”

The three of them piled into the impala and Dean turned to Cas with a questioning look. When Cas just cocked his head and looked confused Dean sighed and said “Where to Cas?”

Cas hadn’t thought that far ahead, but then he remembered something he should probably show them in case something happened to him and there was an emergency, now that they couldn’t count on heavenly assistance anymore. “Tulsa Oklahoma.”

Dean turned around and began driving. Just before they arrived in Tulsa, Cas felt his brother calling for him. He disappeared from the backseat and arrived back in the kitchen of the bunker. “You can bring them back now. I didn’t intend for you to be gone this long.”

“Yes well I decided to take the opportunity to do something I’ve been meaning to do for a while. We will be a few more hours.” Cas tilted his head in thought for a moment. “Perhaps you should come too. You may find it beneficial as well.”

Both angels then appeared in the back seat of the impala. Luckily Dean had become used to the occurrence and avoided the near crash that used to accompany spontaneous appearances in the car while he was driving. “Oh come on Cas. Did you have to bring the archdouche with you.” 

Gabriel sighed. “At least tell me we are almost there. I don’t particularly enjoy being trapped in a large metal box on wheels.”

Cas just nodded and gave directions for the last few miles to an old abandoned warehouse. Gabriel whistled, “Nice warding job little brother. I assume you need some of my grace and some blood from them to key us in?”

“You are correct. No one that is not keyed in can enter, including archangels, pagan gods, demons, spirits, and even reapers so do try not to die inside,” he said looking at the hunters. 

They all shrugged and walked forward until it felt like they hit a wall. Gabriel took out his archangel blade and made a shallow cut on his arm and bottled some of his grace which was the cue for the hunters to do the same thing with their blood. Cas walked forward to the outside of the building and drew some symbols on the wall with the blood and spoke some Enochian chant over the grace as it left the bottle and sunk into another symbol on the wall. They were all released to move forward again. 

When they stepped inside the building, Gabriel’s jaw dropped. “I don’t…I…how…” he trailed off. 

“While we all enjoy the sight of Gabriel speechless, why don’t you tell us what we’re looking at here Cas.” Sam said as he looked around the room that seemed to be filled with artifacts and relics.

“This is the storehouse of all the weapons and artifacts that Balthazar managed to steal from heaven when he went on the run, and which subsequently fell into my hands. Recent events have shown me that I may not be able to protect you all the time so should you ever fall into a situation grave enough and I am not there to help, you will have access to this storehouse as well.”

“That’s great and all Cas, but I don’t even know what all I am looking at, how am I supposed to know what might help in what kind of situation?” Dean questioned. 

“I have begun working on labels and instruction manuals, but it is slow. There is much that even I do not know about some of these devices.”

“Don’t worry yourself Cassie. I can help with that. Piece of cake.” Gabriel said still walking around and looking at things in wonder not realizing that Sam and Dean had begun to do the same. 

“Hey I recognize this,” Dean said picking up a crystal. 

Suddenly Gabriel was next to him snatching it out of his hand. “Don’t touch that!”

“What is it?” Sam asked curious as to what could cause such a reaction from the archangel. 

“That is designed to disintegrate the vessel of an archangel and blast them back to heaven. It does require some intent to use, but I don’t really trust Deano here not to be annoyed enough to trigger it on accident.” Gabriel said as he placed it gently back on his shelf. 

Since the crisis was averted, Sam felt free to snort in amusement, which turned into a full belly laugh at the indignant look on Gabriel’s face and the sheepish one on Dean’s. Even Cas cracked a smile. 

Gabriel turned one of Sam’s own famous bitchfaces on the hunter, “You think this is funny do you?”

“I’m sorry…it’s just…your faces…” He said between laughs. He turned to Cas who placed a hand on his forehead and gave him the image as they saw it. Gabriel couldn’t help but let out a bit of a chuckle himself. 

“Yeah, yeah, now that all the fun is over let’s get out of here before mr handsy here accidentally blasts us all back to the ice age.”

When the others began walking back to the car Gabriel didn’t go with them. They looked back questioningly. “You go ahead. I’m flying. I am not going to be stuck in that machine for hours. The ride here was bad enough.”

“Dude you were in the car for 10 minutes. Tops.” Dean said incredulously.

“Yeah and that’s more than enough for me. I’ll meet you at home.” Dean looked around at the artifacts and looked back at Gabriel dubiously. “No worries Deano. I know how powerful these things are and unlike you I know what they do. Nothing here should be touched for amusement purposes. Even I know better than that.” Gabriel said and disappeared anyway back to the bunker. 

 

“Well at least we don’t have to be stuck in the car with him for hours.” Dean said as Sam shook his head. “I still question the wisdom of giving him full access to that place though Cas.”

“I understand your skepticism Dean, but I assure you that Gabriel does, in fact, know better than to ‘play’ with any of the weapons, and should there be a situation where they are needed, he would be in the best position to help you make use of them.”

“If you say so Cas.” Dean shrugged and turned back around as they left the area. 

5 hours later they pulled back into the bunker’s garage and headed inside where Gabriel met them in the kitchen, grabbed Sam’s arm, and began dragging him through the bunker. “Gabe? Where are we…” He trailed off as he was lead into the library which looked like it had a whole new wing built in. “What…”

“Well I saw how excited you were to see references from my father’s library, so I snuck up to the real thing in heaven and copied all the books to English, though enochian copies are there too, just in case you ever want to learn, and I brought them here for you. I had to build onto the library a bit though.” Gabriel explained as he was bouncing on his heels watching the tall hunter. 

“This is…This is all of them? God’s entire private library? Are you serious?” Sam looked at Gabriel with a look of admiration and adoration on his face. 

Dean rolled his eyes at the sight and left, and Cas smiled at the fact that he had done the right thing by going along with Gabriel’s request and that his brother’s attempts to woo his hunter seemed to be going well as he too left. 

Sam didn’t notice any of that. He was stuck between looking back and forth between the books and the archangel for a few more minutes, before he spontaneously grabbed the archangel in a big bear hug and lifted him off the ground. Gabriel wrapped his arms around Sam and held on for dear life as he was given a hug that would have broken ribs if he had been human, but gave that archangel nothing but happy satisfaction. It was time for phase two.


	6. Chapter 6

When Sam realized his bear hug had turned into an embrace he stepped back quickly, cleared his throat, and disappeared into the stacks of his new treasure looking for something to read. He had been tired after an entire day on the road, but the thought of being able to read from God’s personal library gave him a second wind. 

Gabriel gave a disappointed sigh as soon as Sam was out of earshot. Gabriel found that he was having difficulty reading him. Was he embarrassed because he enjoyed it or because he thought that Gabriel didn’t. Well, phase two would hopefully get him some answers. 

 

Gabriel popped back in to check on Sam a few hours later, and found him fast asleep, head resting on the book he had been reading. Gabriel snapped his fingers and had Sam in his room, shoes and overshirt off, and under his blanket, and then he disappeared again to set up his surprise. 

When 10 AM came the next morning, Sam was predictably still asleep after his late night. Dean was just waking up and walking down the hallway when Gabriel appeared so Gabriel snapped his fingers and put breakfast on the table for him and informed him that he was taking Sam out. 

Dean, still half asleep, just grunted and waved his hand at Gabriel in dismissal. Gabriel, not being able to resist the opportunity, and reasoning that he didn’t wake them up obnoxiously this morning so a little harmless joke would be ok, snapped his fingers and Dean turned pink all over, including his tshirt and boxers that he was wearing. Given Dean’s half asleep state he likely wouldn’t realize until they were already gone. 

He then went to Sam’s room, snapped his fingers so that Sam was dressed appropriately for their day and woke Sam up just in time to be flown to another location. “What the hell, Gabriel?” He sputtered in surprise. He noticed Gabriel’s smug smile and, still rubbing the sleep from his eyes, looked around. “Venice? Really?” he said as he noticed the canals.

“Yep. Breakfast/dinner at this café then a gondola ride through the canal.” He said with a grin. 

Sam narrowed his eyes at the archangel. This seemed suspiciously like a romantic date, but that couldn’t be his intention…could it? He decided to just go with it for now and maybe the trickster’s true intention would reveal itself later. 

Just after they had ordered their meal, Gabriel winced. Sam looked at him questioningly. “I think your brother just found the present I left him,” he said with a laugh. 

Sam just shook his head. “I hope you remembered the rules.”

“Of course. It’s harmless and it will wear off in about an hour.” At Sam’s inquiring look Gabriel added, “I turned him pink.”

Sam laughed. “That seems rather…uninspired…for you.”

“Well it was a spur of the moment thing, and I don’t want to piss him off…just annoy him terribly.” 

Sam snorted in amusement while wondering when Gabriel started worrying about pissing people off, but he wasn’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth. 

After they finished eating they went to the gondola’s and Gabriel slipped the guy some money. Sam wondered what it was for, but figured some joke was going to be played on him and that he wasn’t going to get out of it anyway so he might as well go along with it. 

When they got in Gabriel sat very close to Sam and he began to think his first though about this being a romantic date may have been right, which was cemented when they were serenaded the entire ride. Sam didn’t know much Italian, but he could recognize a love song when he heard it. He had pretty much come to terms with the fact that he had feelings for Gabriel, but didn’t imagine that the archangel would return those feelings. He began to wonder if his feelings had been noticed and Gabriel was making fun of him, but then again, there would probably be more levity in the day if he was. The thing was, coming to terms with the fact that you have feelings is a far cry from actually considering acting on them, and he found himself having to consider that very quickly. After all, he had never had any gay tendencies before now so this was all very new to the hunter. 

 

Gabriel had noticed Sam’s pensive look during the ride, and was slightly disheartened. He would just have to try harder. When Gabriel wanted something he got it. So he turned to the hunter, “So what next? You want to see the pyramids? The taj majal? Stonehenge?” he suggested, knowing the hunter’s love for history. 

“Well…I would kinda like to see more of what’s here actually. Maybe walk around a bit?” he said tentatively. 

Not as grand as Gabriel would have liked, but he thought he made his point; that he could give Sam the world if he wanted it, so he shrugged and agreed. A walk could be romantic, maybe small romance would be good to start with. Maybe the gondola ride and the serenading was a little too much he admitted to himself. He led the way down the street that led to the gardens and was glad to see Sam fall into step beside him. 

Gabriel began telling stories about the city and they fell into comfortable conversation. During one of his longer stories Gabriel reached over and took Sam’s hand, looking out the corner of his eye to see Sam’s reaction. Sam turned beet red, but didn’t pull away and even smiled a bit as Gabriel threaded their fingers together. After a while Sam relaxed and holding the archangel’s hand began to feel natural. 

Once they had circled back to where they began, Gabriel looked at Sam questioningly. “Lets head back to the bunker?” Sam asked hopefully. It was amazing that after as much running as he did a couple hours walking could make him so tired. 

Gabriel just flew them back to the bunker. They landed in the main room and could hear Dean talking to Cas. Sam quickly pulled his hand away from Gabriel and said he was going to go lay down in his room and disappeared. 

Gabriel furrowed his brow and watched where Sam disappeared for a moment. It was clear that Sam was overthinking things, but what was the right thing to do here? Should he go after him? Who was he kidding? He had never been one for patience and waiting. He would at least be polite and knock. After Sam acknowledged him he walked into the room to find Sam standing somewhat awkwardly in the center of the room and realized that now that he had come here he had no idea what to say. 

After a moment he cleared his throat and said, “Was it too much?”

“It’s just…you don’t have to try so hard Gabe…I mean…I already…” Sam trailed off not sure where to go with that statement, but Gabriel got the picture and stepped slowly toward Sam giving him plenty of time to back away. When he didn’t, Gabriel took the invitation and pressed his lips to Sam’s. 

Sam froze. He had some idea what Gabriel was doing when he started coming closer but it still took him by surprise. He felt Gabriel start to pull away so he started kissing back. Gabriel’s hand reached up and wound in his hair and Sam’s hands unconsciously found their way to Gabriel’s waist, and when Gabriel’s tongue darted out, Sam instinctively opened for him and he was lost. He didn’t even realize they were moving until his back hit the wall. When Gabriel’s hand started running down his chest he came back to himself. “Gabe wait.” 

Gabriel immediately stopped and took a step back so they were no longer touching and got a sheepish look on his face. “Sorry. I got a little carried away. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”

“No it’s not that. Well ok, it’s a little that, but not really. I just…I need to know what you want from me here.”

“I would think that much is obvious,” Gabriel said with a grin. 

“No…I mean yeah…but is this just a distraction for you or is there more to it? I guess I’m asking where you stand on this whole thing.”

Gabriel sighed and sat down. He should have known it was too much to hope for to have this conversation at a later time; preferably a much later time, but Sam asked for it, so he was going to bare his soul, if he had one that is. “Well you remember when I thought you had me bound by a spell?” at Sam’s nod he continued. “Well I realized that it wasn’t a spell at all. It was your soul and my grace binding themselves together because I was in love with you.” 

Sam sputtered for a moment, “But…when…”

“I think it happened after the mystery spot, when you tracked me down to bring Dean back. I think that’s why I did it, and why I confronted Lucifer at that hotel, and why I killed my brother to protect you and every other stupid thing I’ve done since then.”

Gabriel hadn’t looked up at Sam since he sat down, but when Sam sat down next to him and put his hand on his, he looked up at the hunter, who gave him a short kiss. “I think I’m in love with you too Gabe.”


	7. Chapter 7

Gabriel could see the truth in Sam’s words so essentially tackled him onto the bed kissing him. It took a moment for him to realize the position they were in so he quickly got up and stepped back. Sam looked a little dazed for a moment before he too realized what Gabriel already had and sat up just as quickly. “Yeah…probably not a good idea just yet.”

“Yeah. There are things you should know before we go too far anyway.”

“Like what?”

Gabriel then realized that waiting to have conversations with Sam Winchester was never going to happen the way he would like it too so he might as well bite the bullet. “Well when an angel and a human bond there are side effects.”

“By bond you mean like…sex?” Sam asked turning beet red again. 

“Not just sex, but that would complete the bond between my grace and your soul that is already there. It’s very rare for grace and soul to bond like ours have, and like I suspect Deano and Cassie’s have. Completing that bond will strengthen you in a way. It’s sort of protection so that angels don’t have to lose their bonded which is extremely painful.”

“Strengthen me how?” Sam said warily. 

“You will become immortal. You can still be killed by angel blades and smiting, but you would essentially be as immortal as an angel. Your injuries will heal immediately. You won’t have angelic strength or anything like that and you won’t be able to heal others. Basically the only changes will be that you won’t die and you’ll heal yourself from almost anything.”

“That doesn’t sound so bad. You were making it seem like something major.”

“Well I know how you feel about not being normal. I didn’t know how you would take it.”

“Well I’ve pretty much come to terms with the fact that I’m a freak.”

“All the best people are freaks though. Look at me.” Gabriel said as he flung his arms out and gave a little spin.

Sam laughed, “Yeah ok, but seriously, I’m in no rush to get to that step, but I can live with those changes. I mean I have an entire library to read now after all.” He said beaming at his archangel. “There’s just one more thing we have to figure out then.” At Gabriel’s questioning look he continued, “How do we tell Dean?”

Gabriel got an evil grin. “Oooh how about we just walk in holding hands, and then I’ll give you a kiss and watch his head explode. Pretty pretty please?”

Sam thought for a moment. It was likely that Dean’s head would explode no matter how he found out, so what was the harm in letting Gabriel have his fun. Besides it would probably make for a much more peaceful relationship if he saved his objections for the big ticket items, so he just shrugged and agreed. 

 

They walked into the bunker’s living room to find Dean and Cas sitting on the couch with Dean trying to explain whatever movie they were watching to the clueless angel. Dean looked up as they came in and raised an eyebrow at their joined hands. Gabriel took that as a cue to lean up and give Sam a short chaste kiss. Dean surprised them both by just rolling his eyes saying, “It’s about time you two figured it out.”

Both Sam’s and Gabriel’s jaws dropped for more than one reason. Gabriel was the first to find his voice. “Us it’s about time? Are you kidding me? You two have been circling each other for how many years?”

Dean looked at them for a moment and then looked back to Cas before he stood up and walked out to the garage without a word. 

Gabriel and Sam looked at each other and seemed to have a silent conversation before Sam huffed out a “fine” and followed his brother to the garage as Gabriel sat down next to Cas. 

 

Dean, just as Sam predicted was puttering under the hood of the impala. He heard his brother approach and spoke first. “I don’t know why you two are so set on the idea of Cas and I together. Just because you went all gay for an angel doesn’t mean I have to.”

“Dean come on. Everyone can see it but you two. Even Charlie figured it out after the first time she met Cas. I mean she knew you had a thing for him long before that, but once she met him she realized that it was mutual. And if you would get over your macho crap for a minute you would realize it too. Just because you’re in love with a man…or an angel in a male vessel anyway…doesn’t turn you into a girl and doesn’t make you less of a man.”

Dean’s response to that was a wrench chucked at Sam’s head. Sam ducked and retreated. Hopefully he got his brother to think about it at least.

 

Later in the library Gabriel walked up to Sam. “Ok I’ve had enough. We need to take some more drastic measures.”

“What did you have in mind?” Sam asked warily. 

“Well I’ve been thinking and I’ve had a few ideas, most of which would have had me flambed, but then I hit on one that just might work.”

“Well let’s skip the flambe ideas and just tell me the one that might work.”

“Well it dawned on me that Dean is the problem. If he would suck it up and make a move Cassie would happily go along. Cassie just doesn’t understand enough to know where to begin. So I figured, Dean sleeps. It would be a piece of cake for me to give him dreams that would make him realize his feelings, and there is no reason he even has to know that I’m behind it.”

“I don’t know. Messing with his dreams. If he ever found out.”

“Oh please. I’ve been messing with his dreams since I got here. Yours too. Didn’t you notice how well rested and nightmare free you too have been?”

“I…you have?...well thanks I guess, but this is something more than just soothing the nightmares. This is direct interference.”

“Just trust me Samsquatch. If anything seems to be going wrong I’ll back off, but if I start tonight he will just think it was his mind conjuring up images because of everything that happened today.”

“I’m so going to regret this. Just…try to use some measure of good judgement?

“So Cassie popping naked out of the center of a giant pie with stripper music in the background would be a no then?” His response was one of Sam’s famous bitchfaces. “No worries. Wasn’t planning to go that far. Hell Dean would probably not even notice Cassie unless he got in the way of the pie anyway.”

 

That night, after Dean went to bed Gabriel snuck into his room invisible and sent his preplanned dream into Dean’s mind. 

He and Cas were walking out of a diner when they were suddenly surrounded by 3 angels wielding their blades. The angel that seemed to be in charge said, “well well not only did we find the traitor but we found one of the accomplices as well.”

Cas stepped forward, blade in hand. “I’m the one you want. Leave him alone.” 

“That’s where you’re wrong. We want you both. And the other accomplice too, but without his protection he shouldn’t be too hard to find.” And he lunged at Cas as the other two grabbed both of Dean’s arms and drove him to his knees. He was no match for angel strength and could only watch helplessly as Cas fought the other angel. 

Cas finally got the killing blow on the first angel and turned and tackled both angels that were restraining Dean. He jumped to his feet with his own angel blade and jumped into the fray just as Cas dispatched one of them and the other got a nasty blow on Cas just as Dean killed him. 

Dean rolled Cas over. He was barely conscious. He reached a hand up to cup Dean’s cheek and Dean couldn’t help but to lean into it as he looked into Cas’ pained eyes. Then Cas’ hand fell, there was a burst of light and his wings were ash on the ground. 

Dean woke in a cold sweat. Fear for Cas flooded him, and Gabriel disappeared just in time as Cas appeared in the room. He may be invisible to Dean, but Cas would have detected him. 

Cas reached out a hand and put it on Dean’s shoulder. “Dean. Are you alright?”

“I’m fine Cas,” Dean breathed a sigh of relief. “Just a nightmare.”

“You called out to me.”

“Yeah, you kind of…umm…died in the nightmare. I’m okay now. Thanks.”

After Cas left Dean began to think about another part of the dream. What was with the face touching and why did it feel so good?


	8. Chapter 8

Dean woke early the next morning eager to find a hunt. That dream didn’t leave his mind all night. He knew he was avoiding Cas and probably hurting the angel’s feelings which is why he needed a hunt. Now. 

Gabriel popped in with the airhorn in hand and his expression dropped into a pout when he saw Dean already awake and his hand fell to his side in disappointment. Any other morning Dean probably would have laughed at that, but this morning all he did was give the archangel a smug smirk. 

Gabriel just shrugged and snapped his fingers for breakfast. It’s not like it was any real effort and Dean seemed to be in a mood anyway so after making breakfast appear he made his escape to Sam’s room and woke him with a kiss. 

Sam groaned as he leaned into the kiss. “Good morning to you too,” he muttered. “At least it better be morning.”

“Oh it is Sammybear. No worries.”

“No,” Sam said sternly.

“No what?”

“No Sammybear. Not gonna happen.”

“But Sammybear…”

“No,” Sam said even more sternly.

Gabe sighed heavily, “Fine,” he said in defeat. “Everyone is ruining my fun this morning.”

“What did Dean do?”

“He was already awake when I came in with the airhorn. He’s angsting and looking for a hunt so I figured it was better not to keep trying to get his goat.”

“Hmm angsting huh? Maybe I was wrong. Sounds like your plan is working.”

“Yeah luckily I still have the tracker on the impala so I’ll be able to find him tonight wherever you two end up taking your hunt.”

“Just remember if you get caught I will disavow all knowledge of what you are doing.”

“I know Samsquatch. You he can kill.”

He heard a yell from the other room, “Sam we’re hitting the road. Get decent and let’s get going.”

Gabriel sighed and handed Sam a handful of granola bars for breakfast. Sam gave him a kiss, grabbed his bag and headed out. Making Dean wait when he was like this was more trouble than it was worth. 

 

Once they were settled into the imapla, Sam turned to Dean. “What do we have?” 

“Looks like a haunting. A couple dead bodies and some kids claim to have witnessed it and said it was a ghost.” Dean said shortly. 

“Everything ok Dean?” Sam asked. Gabriel was right. He really must be in a mood if he had that attitude. 

“Fine,” Dean said clencing his fists on the steering wheel, so Sam decided to drop it and pulled out his laptop to do some research and see if they could figure out what or who was haunting the town. 

They arrived around sunset, but it was still early enough to track down the kids and get their story. Sam had found 6 possible deaths that could spawn a vengeful spirit in the last 100 years. Hopefully they wouldn’t have to go back any farther. The description the kids gave quickly narrowed down their search to two, only one of whom was connected to the location of the incidents, so the bones were salted and burned by 2 am. Dean was annoyed. He had hoped that it would take longer and that he would get the chance to fight something, but it really was just a routine salt and burn. They headed back to their motel and crashed. 

Soon after Dean fell asleep, Gabriel popped in invisible and sent him another dream. Maybe one not so violent this time. No need to keep him in a bad mood if possible. Something simple. Gabriel had the perfect idea. 

Dean was suddenly standing next to the bed watching himself sleep, but it wasn’t this motel. It was another motel, but it looked familiar. Probably one they had been to in the past. He watched as Cas appeared in the room and looked at Dean. He noticed Dean was sleeping and his face softened and he gave a small smile as he walked over and ran his hand through Dean’s hair. Dean started to stir and Cas disappeared from the room just before Dean opened his eyes. The Dean that was watching, was suddenly back in his body looking around the room. He felt lonely and bereft, but he didn’t know why.

It wasn’t until he woke again in the real world that he remembered why he felt that way when waking in the dream. Apparently when he rejoined his body in the dream, he only remembered what the body did, not what he saw before. Dean suddenly began to wonder if Cas had ever actually done that, and found himself surprised that he wasn’t unsettled by the idea. He’s probably just gotten used to the idea of Cas watching him sleep, not that he liked it any better. At least that’s what he told himself. 

 

When they arrived back at the bunker late the next day, Dean was in a much better mood, though still not totally comfortable around Cas. Determined to fix that and not let their brothers assumptions and a couple weird dreams rob him from his best friend Dean decided to enforce a movie marathon on the angel. 

As soon as they returned Sam made a beeline for his new treasure in the library. He hadn’t had anywhere near enough time to read his new books since he got them. He pulled the one he had been reading before from the stack. It talked about the power structure of heaven and the different types of angels and their roles. He figured if the angels wanted to get them it would be better to know as much as possible. 

When Gabriel popped in later, he was almost finished with the book, and he had more than a few questions for his trickster boyfriend. “So Gabe, I’m curious. Now that all the other archangels are gone, why haven’t you just taken over heaven? According to this book it’s your right and the other angels would have to follow you.”

Gabriel just let out a loud belly laugh. “Me? Rule heaven? I think these books are rotting your brain Samsquatch.”

“Well normally I would agree with you, but better a bunch of pranking trickster angels, than a bunch of homicidal maniac angels.”

“I don’t do ‘in charge’. You should know that already. Too much responsibility and way too time-consuming.”

Sam could tell that Gabriel was just covering up deeper feelings with his nonchalant attitude and decided to call him on it. 

Gabriel sighed, “Look Sam. Dad left because things were a mess up there. He couldn’t fix it. How am I supposed to? I have no intention of trying to fill his shoes. He failed. Michael failed. Raphael failed. Lucifer doesn’t even bear mentioning. I will not set myself up for the same fate.”

Sam could have said a lot to that, but could tell that Gabriel wasn’t going to listen. Hopefully he would think about it at least, so he did the only thing that he could do after pushing the archangel into confessing real feelings and fears. He pulled him to his bedroom for some alone time. They wouldn’t complete the bond tonight, but they could both tell it wouldn’t be long. Gabriel was even so occupied that he forgot to send Dean dreams that night.

 

The next day Sam and Dean talked Cas into going grocery shopping with them. They tried to talk Gabriel into it too, but he wouldn’t budge. He said that he didn’t need to shop. He could conjure anything he wanted and the entire exercise was a waste of time. Dean and Sam of course still felt it necessary and that it was a skill that Castiel might have need of in the future. Sam considered begging off and letting Dean and Cas go alone, but he knew if he left it to Dean they wouldn’t have anything even halfway healthy in the bunker so resigned himself to going. 

They were leaving the grocery store when it happened. Dean felt a major sense of de ja vu, even though it was quite different. But the fact remained that they were surrounded by seven angels all wielding angel blades. The one closes to Dean lunged at him first, but Cas was in front of him and the angel’s wings were burned on the sidewalk before anyone could blink. “No one touches him,” Cas said while in a defensive crouch in front of Dean. The six remaining angels then attacked as one. They fought as hard as they could, but it didn’t take long for Cas to be unconscious on the ground and Dean and Sam to be on their knees with angel blades at their throats. 

Sam then played the only card he had left. The one he had hoped to avoid. He called for Gabriel’s help. Gabriel arrived immediately, and suddenly the four angels that had survived the fight and had the Winchester’s restrained were pinned to the building a few feet off the ground by a furious archangel. “Ok. That is enough!” All of the angels were terrified and speechless. “We are supposed to be protecting humans not hunting them. What is wrong with you?!”

The angels were powerless to avoid a direct question and all began babbling at once. “Enough!” Gabriel bellowed as he snapped his fingers and stole their voices. He looked them over a moment and picked one of them to give back his voice and he promptly began defending himself. “They destroyed heaven, killed Raphael, took Michael away, and destroyed us all!”

Gabriel stalked towards the foolish angel who shrunk back in fear. Very few angels had ever faced an archangel’s fury before and it was an experience that none ever wanted. “You simpering fool. Heaven was destroyed before father left. That’s WHY he left. All anyone has ever tried to do is fix things, them included,” he said pointing at the hunters and the unconscious angel, “But you all took everything that they tried to do and spit on it, turning on each other, destroying each other, and you blame them? And as if that’s not bad enough, you turn on the ones we are supposed to help and protect, and blame them for that too? Well I’ve had enough. You go back to heaven and you tell them that Gabriel is back and there are going to be some changes, and if they don’t like it, they are free to rip out their grace and fall.” Gabriel said as he turned his back to walk back to the battered group and waved his hand to release the angels who promptly disappeared. 

Sam and Dean were still on their knees, having been too nervous to move. An archangel’s fury is frightening even if it’s not directed at you. It’s almost like an ingrained response. Gabriel walked between them without a word, reaching out to touch a hand to each of their heads as he passed, healing them from their injuries, as he was focused on his unconscious brother. He kneeled next to Cas and touched his forehead healing him as he wakened and helped him to his feet, just as Dean suddenly found the strength to move and glued himself to Cas’ side to make sure that he was ok.


	9. Chapter 9

Gabriel sighed deeply and spoke the first words since his tirade, “Can we please fly back? I’ll put the car in the garage for you.” Dean for once, didn’t have the strength to argue and just nodded as they appeared back in the bunker. Dean, after getting Cas settled on the couch and ordering him to rest, went to the garage to check on his car while Gabriel made a beeline for the kitchen, where Sam, following him found him at the table with an entire 7 layer chocolate cake in front of him. 

Sam stepped up behind his boyfriend and put a hand on his shoulder. “You were right. I didn’t have a choice. It doesn’t matter if I can do it. I have to try. I just wish…” Gabriel trailed off.

“I know Gabe. For what it’s worth I wish I wasn’t right too. But I think you’ll be better than you think. You do have an advantage after all. You have free will and emotions.”

“So did Cassie when he tried to lead.” Gabriel argued.

“Yeah, but he barely understood them himself, you’ve had the benefit of centuries of experience and a far greater knowledge of humanity than any angel has ever had. I have faith in you.” Sam said as he brushed Gabriel’s hair out of his eyes and gave him a kiss. 

“Thanks.” Gabriel said sincerely as he rested his head on Sam’s shoulder. “I figure I’ll wait until tomorrow to go up. Give them time to get all worked up about it so I can handle all the problems at once. I don’t know how long I’ll be gone, but you know I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

“Then we should make the best of the time we have,” Sam said holding out his hand and leading Gabriel to his bedroom after he took it. 

Cas and Dean, having returned from checking on his car were watching TV when a bright blue light flashed through the bunker. Dean looked at Cas curiously, “Do I want to know?”

“I believe our brothers completed their bond.”

Dean groaned and put his hands over his ears a little too late. “You could have just said, ‘no you don’t want to know’ because I really didn’t.”

Cas just tilted his head and looked at Dean curiously. He would never understand him. Nor would he ever understand Batman he thought as he looked back at the screen to see the superhero. 

 

Gabriel barely remembered to send Dean a dream that night, but since he was going to be gone for who knew how long, he needed to step things up a notch. This was going to be his last chance for a while. It needed to be a good one. He left an illusion of himself in Sam’s bed as a placeholder and was gone for under 5 minutes before he returned.

Dean once again found himself watching himself sleep, but this time he was in his room in the bunker. Cas, once again appeared and ran his fingers through a sleeping Dean’s hair, but this time Cas spoke. “Why can’t you love me Dean? What more must I do?” Dean then began to stir and Cas again disappeared before Dean woke up. Dean, like last time, found himself in his waking body, but this time he remembered what he witnessed.

He suddenly found himself going through a montage of past events, “I’m hunted. I’ve rebelled, and I did it, all of it, for you.”

“Dean and I do share a more profound bond.”

“I do everything for you. I always come when you call. Still despite your lack of faith in me and now your threats, I just saved you once again. Has anyone but your closest kin ever done more for you?” 

And so it continued. As he was thrown from one event to another he noticed the expressions in Cas’ eyes. His face may be made of stone, but there has always been more emotion in his eyes than anyone Dean had ever known, and his eyes in these scenes were pleading for something, and Dean finally realized what it was. 

Dean’s eyes snapped open and he sat up, his mind reeling. Could it be true? Could Cas really feel that way about him? Could he really feel that way about Cas? There was only one way to find out. He called Cas who appeared in his room. “Do you trust me Cas?”

Cas tilted his head confused, “Of course I do Dean.”

“Well I’m…uh…gonna try something…just…you can’t tell anyone ok?” 

“Alright,” Cas said still no less confused. 

Dean stepped towards him until their noses were almost touching. Cas took in a breath as Dean, after a moment’s hesitation tilted his head and pressed his lips to the angel’s. It only lasted a few moments before Dean pulled away slightly and leaned his forehead against Cas’. “I’ve been so stupid.”

“What…?” That was all Cas got out before Dean’s lips were on his again, this time with one hand on the back of Cas’ head and the other on his lower back pulling him flush against the hunter. Cas, finally realizing what was going on gave into the kiss just as enthusiastically wrapping his arms around his hunter. 

After their lips separated they still didn’t let go of each other. Cas rested his head on Dean’s shoulder and Dean rested his head against Cas’. Dean knew what he wanted to say, but he couldn’t make the words come out. He owed it to Cas to try though. “Cas…I…I…” he just couldn’t say it.

Cas saved him from needing to. “I know Dean. I love you too.” Dean just smiled and pulled Cas up for another kiss. He was always better at showing than telling anyway. 

A thought struck Dean, “So are we going to have the bright light when we complete the bond too?” he asked with a seductive smirk.

“Most likely, but you should know it will change you in some ways.”

Dean stepped back quickly, both afraid for himself and for his brother. “What kind of changes Cas?” he asked suspiciously. 

“Nothing serious. Most injuries will heal immediately much like an angel, and you will be immortal, but that’s all.”

“So no other angel powers like healing or flying or anything?”

“No. You’ll just be more durable and won’t age.”

“Oh. Well that’s not so bad.” Dean said as he stepped up to Cas again and took his angel back in his arms. “I can most certainly live with that if it gets me this.” He said as they kissed again and Dean walked himself back to the bed and pulled the angel down with him. 

 

Sam was still sleeping and thus didn’t notice the second flash of light to illuminate the bunker that night, but Gabriel, lying contentedly in Sam’s arms, did notice and smirked to himself. Mission accomplished, and just in time. 

Gabriel woke his lover the next morning with a kiss. Once Sam was awake he asked a question that had been nagging him since last night, “That bright light last night…” he trailed off.

“Yeah, that was the bond completing.”

“How far…um…did it go?” Sam asked nervously.

“Oh it filled the whole bunker, but thanks to the warding didn’t go any farther,” Gabriel said with a smirk knowing where Sam was going with this but knowing also that he had an excellent comeback.

“Oh God.” Sam buried his head in the archangel’s shoulder, “So Dean knows what…um…happened?”

“Don’t worry Samsquatch, if he gives you a hard time, that wasn’t the only flash of light in this bunker last night.”

Sam’s head flew up so fast it bounced off the wall. “What? You don’t mean?”

“Yep. Seems like Deano finally pulled his head out of his ass and bagged himself an angel.”

“That’s…I can’t believe…” Sam couldn’t find the words, but then a thought struck him and he narrowed his eyes at Gabriel, “You’re not just messing with me are you?” Gabriel crossed his heart with a big smirk still on his face and Sam just busted out laughing, making Gabriel laugh along with him. “Oh I have to think of the best way to bring this up.”

Gabriel said still laughing himself, “I just wish I could be here to see it. Maybe you could share the memory with me when I get back?”

Sam suddenly stopped laughing. “You have to go so soon?”

Gabriel sobered as well, “I should have gone hours ago, but I wanted to wait until you woke up.”

“I know you said you didn’t know how long you would be gone, but do you have any idea? I mean are we talking weeks? Months? Years?”

Gabriel looked Sam in the eyes and brushed his hair out of his face. “I would never leave you for years, immortal now or not. I should be able to get back for short visits within a few weeks, but it will probably be months before I can be back on a regular basis.”

“Months” Sam said with a sad sigh. 

“You know I’d never leave you if there was another way.” Gabriel half asked the hunter.

“I know Gabe. It won’t be easy though.”

“I know. But on the plus side, since you’re essentially part angel now, once things are less hostile of course, maybe you could spend some time up there with me. We will have to see how things go. I won’t put you in danger by bringing you up there too soon though.”

Sam decided to skip over the part-angel information. He really should have known that after Gabriel told him about the changes. He just hadn’t considered it that far and hearing it said like that was a little jarring. Gabriel suddenly flinched and looked up. “You need to go,” Sam figured.

“Yeah. Things are getting a bit out of hand up there.” Gabriel said apologetically before he kissed Sam one last time. “I love you.”

“I love you too Gabe.” Sam said. Gabriel gave him one last sad smile and disappeared. Sam looked morosely at the spot where he disappeared for a moment before he got up to go make breakfast. It looked like they were going to be on their own for breakfast for a while. 

 

Sam got a surprise when he walked into the kitchen to find their signature breakfast from Gabriel on the table. That last fingersnap before he disappeared was explained now and Sam sat down to eat with a smile. 

When Dean walked in for breakfast shortly after with a smile on his face, Sam dutifully waited until he had his mouth full before saying, “Good thing the warding on this place kept the neighbors from seeing all the light shows last night huh?” 

Sam would never figure out how Dean both spit half the food out and choked on the other half simultaneously, but he considered his job done and walked out with a smirk on his face very reminiscent of his absent bondmate.


End file.
